Looking at last night's flow chart, I can't quite figure out where I'm supposed to start and end the frame. Do I highlight the 20-0 run? Do I extend it further and call it a 30-4 run?

Whatever. They won the basketball game. Exhale:

I know his line isn't as eye-popping as it was the previous night, but I thought Shaun had another terrific game. We may have to accept that he's going to be more Jason Kidd than Magic Johnson or even peak Gary Payton. I'm not sure that, even in his prime, Shaun isn't going to have nights when he doesn't break double-digits. We'll look at the box score and say, "eeehhh...comme ci, comme ca." Okay, maybe you won't say comme ci, comme ca, but whatever. What I see here is a kid who is on his way to becoming one of the best all-around defenders in the league, and I credit Dunleavy for a lot of that.

We shouldn't take too much away from Cat's performance, and we sort of saw him fall off in the second half, a bit. Nevertheless, a big thrust of the foam number one finger from Clipper Naçion, shall we? I mean, that's why we come and watch basketball, isn't it? To see guys get into a zone so we can marvel at it. Brand's heroics have always been workmanlike - and that's why we love him. Corey's are acrobatic. But we don't get a lot of unconsciousness in these here parts, so it was fun to watch. I mean, that off-balance flying three pointer to end the half? As Senator Clay Davis would say, "Sheeeeeeeeet."

Elton still isn't getting enough shots - though we can attribute some of that last night to Cat. If there's a perimeter guy as hot as Cat was, hell, abandon the post game for a quarter. But Elton's finishes weren't as proficient; again, he passed up some makeable shots. The good news was his FT line. Elton Brand should be making about 5-6 trips to the line a night [10 or 12 FTA], and last night he accomplished that.

Tim Thomas had one of his versatile games. We probably don't want to see him taking 12 shots a night - unless he's feeling it - but he seemed to pick and choose his spots well. When there were opportunities to post up Warrick or someone else, or at least make them work, he did. And he had another decent defensive game, too. My thoughts on Thomas are that he's only going to be a game-maker about 12-15 times a year. The other 65-70 nights, you just want him to be a regular old backup forward - play reasonably acceptable defense, set some quality high screens [TT does this quite well, when he wants to], don't take stupid shots, and when a guy gets open on the weak side, get the ball to him.

Q had a very Q-ish line in a game where there wasn't really a shutdown assignment: 11 points, 4-4 from the field, 3-4 from the stripe, five steals, three assists, three rebounds, zero turnovers. One thing that worries me [and Ralph has deftly pointed this out]: Q is establishing a pattern where he's picking up early fouls. Last night, it was at 11:51 in the first; In Sacramento, it was 11:48, then the second foul at 9:55; In Denver, at 4:37, then again at 4:01; In Minneapolis, 1:13 [offensive], and 0:02 [c'mon, man]; The Seattle game, 9:19, then 5:37. The Laker game, 9:56 and 1:24.
Last night was the first time in six games that Q has made it out of the first quarter, and he still got whistled nine seconds in.

Did anyone else have that kicked dog feeling when Memphis cut it to eight in the fourth quarter? Like it was going to happen again? It makes me nervous to have that feeling. Down the stretch last season, I never felt that way.

My favorite series of the night came during the heart of the Clippers' late first quarter run [1st, 1:24]. I've always thought that there was something corny and even mythical about that Gene-Hackman-in-Hoosiers chestnut that "all five guys should touch the ball." They should? Really? Does it necessarily guarantee a better shot? Do you even want all five guys touching the ball? I don't recall Mark Eaton or Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman touching the ball all that much. Hell, I'd rather they set a couple of borderline dirty screens, then find the weak side glass.

Anyway...

Shaun brings it up quickly in transition. Despite a plea from Mike Smith [1] to keep pushing, Shaun slows it up. Shaun quickly dumps it into EB in the post. Brand is immediately doubled [go figure] and kicks it back out crisply to Maggette at the top of the arc. The good news: it's a shot Maggette takes too often, but this time he passes it back over to Shaun on the wing. Shaun looks for Elton again [I like that. Shaun should look for Elton first. Almost always, unless there's serious daylight between him and the hoop], but Elton is doubled off the ball. So Shaun delivers the ball crosscourt to Thomas at the right garden. TT isn't feeling it, even though he's got Atkins on the mismatch, so he dumps it into Mobley, who has Gay one-on-one. Cat backs Gay in, spins and shoots at 15 feet and hits.
Best looking 15 seconds of the season.

[1] If he didn't talk so fucking much, I'd like Mike Smith. He offers some decent insight, but, Mike, did you just see that? Elton just fought off three guys for the rebound, got it ahead to Maggette, who just went Curly Neal on the entire Mavericks defense! You're sitting beside one of the great play-by-play guys of the last 40 years. And now, instead of having Ralph paint it for us beautifully, all we have is your yapping about how Bird and McHale made you take the center seat on the fucking charter back in the day, you douche.

Posted Wednesday, October 29 at 3:20PM

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Cat came through big last night! I only caught the highlights because I live in San Francisco, but it seems like the Clips had good ball movement, rebounded well, and actually put the ball through the hoop. I was beginning to think they had forgotten how to do this.

By the way Kevin, I like the Wire references you've been sprinkling into your posts lately! Is it just me or does Shaun look eerily like Wallace in season one?

With Shaun Livingston on the court, all players seem like on the same page. There's co-ordinated effort to excute each possesion. And Shaun brings order to Clippers offense without wasting time. It's too early to compare Shaun to Jason Kidd or Magic Johnson. If he can play like this now, I can't wait to see him play in 2008-2009 season. He is going to be a Super Star who'd command immense respect even from Laker fans.

The thing with Mike Smith is that he was such a borderline NBA player, that he's compelled to remind the audience several times a night that he was a Celtic and actually played along side Bird and McHale. The insecurity is huuuge, even with the occasional self-deprecating remark about being the last guy on the bench. Jesus, Mike, LET RALPH TALK. If having been a sub-Mendoza-line player (sorry for the mixed sport metaphor) with the ability to yap incoherently is a qualification for second chair to RL, I wonder if Corky Calhoun's available?

Another nominee for the 'all 5 guys touch the ball play of the night': [4th 7:07] Brand posts up, Grizz double with Warrick. Brand kicks to Thomas, who swings to Cassell, to Maggette, to Q. Bucket from the opposite baseline, before Warrick (the original double teamer) can recover. It's the kind of ball reversal that is standard for the Suns and Spurs, but we rarely see in ClipperNation.

One key element to each of these plays: EB got the ball in the post with PLENTY of time on the shot clock. 17 seconds in the first example (Smith's pleas to push the ball resulted at least in an easy and quick entry pass) 20 seconds in the second (it was after an offensive rebound that we missed on Prime while watching a replay of the Rudy Gay dunk - Chick would roll over in his grave if he watched Clippers telecasts).

One of the things I've been harping on about the Clippers this season is the lethargy getting into the offense. If we make the entry pass with 10 seconds on the clock, there's no time for anything else. Can't repost, can't reverse the ball... it's force a shot or kick it out for a contested jumper. A little push, just to get into the offense sooner, opens up a world of offensive opportunities.

steve: that's exactly the play i was going to mention. notice how each pass was swung immediately. usually guys would hold the ball for an extra second, which allowed the defense to recover. especially impressed by the last pass corey made, i was honestly suprised he didn't jack it up.

also completely agree about getting into the O faster. shaun gets the offensive set going MUCH faster than sam. it gives us multiple opportunities to pick apart the D. less 1v1 action, more team ball. sounds easy enough, unfortunately sam's deaf.

i can't be the only one who thinks aaron williams is playing better than kaman did.

i'm not getting too excited yet, it was the pau-less grizz after all. but it is very encouraging nonetheless. anyone else notice how the whole team seemed to be happy and laughing with/at each other last night? good times.

I've been Wired up since Ep. 1. Part of that is just loving David Simon [if tv had more writers who had actually, you know, done shit in the real world...like serving as a beat reporter for the Baltimore Sun...we'd be better off] and part of it is that I'll watch the first three episodes of any HBO drama. If I hate it [like Carnivale], I'll stop. And if I love it [The Wire, OZ, Deadwood, Sopranos], I'll stay with it.

One of the reasons I've started peppering this stuff with Wire references is that, well, people actually get the references now. As recently as Season 3, Ep. 2 there were only about 100 people outside of Wash-Balt who actually watched the show. So if you dropped references from The Wire, you seemed like Dennis Miller and nobody wants to come across like that asshat. I mean, I still may come across as an asshat, but not for that reason.

But now, the world has uncovered the genius of the show. So Clay Davis and Bunk and Prop Joe and Baltimorese and Mayor Tommy Carcetti are fair game.

Mike Smith knows what he's talking about but he talks too much about nonsense when the game is going on. The most outrageeous example was last year as EB recorded his first and only triple double, Smith was jabbering about the sound of some word and kept on it so long that EB's triple double was never mentioned except for later in the game. I happened to realize it but I'm sure there were many fans who would have liked to hear about it instead of Smith's idiotic jabbering.

Commentators are supposed to speak their minds and Mike Smith is no exception. Let him be critical of his team if he has to. Clippers are not perfect and it's nice to hear negative comments from our own commentator.

I think overall Mike is a good, knowledgeable color guy with better-than-average ex-jock insights, and a pretty smooth, comfortable delivery. Lots of former players know what they're talking about but are crap when it comes to conveying what they know to a TV audience. I think in that regard, Mike is great. Ralph and Mike have a nice, very easy going rhythm together, too, and I think Mike knows when to get out of the way to let Ralph paint the picture.

I also look forward to Smith's almost nightly homoerotic slip when talking about things like not being able to <i>wink</i> at a ref anymore because of the new "no whining rule", him uncomfortably describing where Reggie Evans grabbed Chris Kaman in last year's playoffs, and adding something about "not liking how it smells there", and his descriptions of various attributes of players' bodies.

I think other ex-jocks in the booth are so hyper-aware of what they say and how they're perceived and Mike seems to not be self-conscious in that way at all, making some of the things he says unintentionally hilarious to me.

Ralph even told him the other night, "Be a man, Mike Smith!"

You don't get that kind of humor and back and forth with over-polished pro's like Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.

There are many good , young players who couldn't make it to NBA. If NBA can pick atleast 25 players every year and groom them for International Basketball, that would be great. NBA is rich enough to allocate enough funds on these players. If NBA loves USA, this is one of the ways to prove it. To win world championship, year-long total coomitment is required. Asking NBA players to sign up for this tournament is ridiculous.

There are many good , young players who couldn't make it to NBA. If NBA can pick atleast 25 players every year and groom them for International Basketball, that would be great. NBA is rich enough to allocate enough funds on these players. If NBA loves USA, this is one of the ways to prove it. To win world championship, year-long total coomitment is required. Asking NBA players to sign up for this tournament is ridiculous.

04/11/08 19:12:21

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